Racks for bottles, cans and glasses

ABSTRACT

An upright open top support and guide structure is provided defining an upstanding elevator passage and a horizontal support platform is mounted in a lower portion of the passage for support of an upwardly opening basket therefrom. Manually operable lift structure is also guidingly mounted on the guide structure for vertical shifting therealong and is operable to lift a basket supported on the platform. The guide structure includes vertically spaced sets of automatically retractable abutment-type support members or dogs and each set of support members or dogs is laterally outwardly retractable in response to the movement of a basket upwardly therepast and thereafter automatically laterally inwardly extendable to a position beneath the basket to support the latter in elevated position. The lift structure includes vertically spaced sets of laterally inwardly displaceable abutment portions for automatically engaging and lifting baskets in the guide structure and in the event the upper basket has been upwardly manually withdrawn from the open top of the guide structure the lower abutment portions include lower portions which are automatically inwardly displaced for engaging and lifting a lower basket within the guide structure. If the upper basket has not been removed, the abutment portions moving upwardly therepast engage stationary cams to positively outwardly displace the abutment portions from engagement with the upper basket. In this manner, the lift structure may be repeatedly actuated to elevate baskets added to the lower end of the guide structure upwardly through the latter to an upper position therein for manual withdrawal from the upper end of the guide structure.

United States Patent [151 Walter [451 Oct. 7, 1975 1 RACKS FOR BOTTLES, CANS AND GLASSES [76] Inventor: Glennon P. Walter, PO. Box 3,

Perryville, Mo. 63775 [22] Filed: Nov. 22, 1974 21] Appl. No.2 526,160

[52] US. Cl. 312/312; 211/117; 312/247 [51] Int. Cl. A47B 51/00; A47B 81/00 [58] Field of Search 211/117, 151,71; 312/236, 312/247, 276.5, 276, 290, 306, 312, 313;

Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward P. Connors [57] ABSTRACT An upright open top support and guide structure is provided defining an upstanding elevator passage and a horizontal support platform is mounted in a lower portion of the passage for support of an upwardly opening basket therefrom. Manually operable lift structure is also guidingly mounted on the guide structure for vertical shifting therealong and is operable to lift a basket supported on the platform. The guide structure includes vertically spaced sets of automatically retractable abutment-type support members or dogs and each set of support members or dogs is laterally outwardly retractable inresponse to the movement of a basket upwardly therepast and thereafter automatically laterally inwardly extendable to a position beneath the basket to support the latter in elevated position. The lift structure includes vertically spaced sets of laterally inwardly displaceable abutment portions for automatically engaging and lifting baskets in the guide structure and in the event the upper basket has been upwardly manually withdrawn from the open top of the guide structure the lower abutment portions include lower portions which are automatically inwardly displaced for engaging and lifting a lower basket within the guide structure. If the upper basket has not been removed, the abutment portions moving upwardly therepast engage stationary cams to positively outwardly displace the abutment portions from engagement with the upper basket. In this manner, the lift structure may be repeatedly actuated to elevate baskets added to the lower end of the guide structure upwardly through the latter to an upper position therein for manual withdrawal from the upper end of the guide structure.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Sheet1of3 3,910,660

US. Patent Oct; 7,1975

FIG"

U.S. Patent Oct. 7,1975

( f II I //2 Sheet 2 of 3 III US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 3 of3 3,910,660

RACKS FOR BOTTLES, CANS AND GLASSES This invention comprises an improvement over the invention disclosed in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,593.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are many instances when open top trays or racks for bottles, cans and glasses are contained within cabinets to whose interior'access may be had through openings formed in the tops of the cabinets. In this manner. the articles supported from the racks or trays may be readily withdrawn from the open tops of the cabinets until the supply of articles in the uppermost rack or tray is exhausted. Then, it is conventional to re move the uppermost rack or tray from the cabinet and to thereafter utilize the supply of articles disposed in the rack or tray therebeneath. However, a convenient means must be provided to elevate the next rack to an uppermost position within the cabinet in order that the articles therein may be most conveniently placed for ready access thereto through the open top of the cabinet.

- Racks and open top trays of the aforementioned type are many times utilized to support large numbers of articles of considerable weight and accordingly a full rack or tray of articles constitutes a load which is difficult to elevate. Accordingly, elevating structure is often provided in these types of cabinets for elevating vertically spaced trays or racks of articles disposed therein. Examples of previously patented structures of this type may be found in.U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,322,439; 2,614,020; 3,531,169 and 3,737,209;

BRlEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The rack supporting structure of the instant inventioncomprises a guide structure defining an upstanding elevator passage having a support platform mounted therein for vertical movement therethrough. A lift structure is provided for lifting the platform and the guide structure includes variously actuatable support members or dogs for engaging and supporting vertically spaced racks in adjusted vertical postions within the guide structure. Further, the lift structure includes au tomatically actuatable abutment portions shiftable between operative and inoperative positions for engaging and lifting racks within the guide structure spaced above the support platform as the support platform is moved to a raisedpos'ition. In this manner, a plurality of vertically stacked racks may be elevated to predetermined postions and supported in those positions after which the support platform for the lowermost rack may be lowered to the bottom of the guide structure for the reception of a lower rack thereon to be subsequently elevated through the guide structure.

The mainobject of this invention is to provide a support and guide structure for a plurality of vertically spaced racks ortrays for supporting various articles and lift structure operatively associated with the guide structure for elevating the racks within the guide structure.

within the guide structure that will automatically sense the removal of the uppermost rack within the guide structure and function to elevate the next lower rack to the uppermost position within the guide structure.

Yet another important object of this invention is to provide manually operable actuator means for the lift structure which may be utilized to lift a plurality of reasonable heavily laden'racks within the guide structure with a minimum of effort.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide an apparatus in accordance with the preceding objects and which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be econornically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

Other objects and' advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descripticm of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the rack support and guide structure of the instant invention with an alternate position of the manually operable actuator for the support platform thereof illustrated in phantom lines;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating one of the stationary cam members of the support and guide structure; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of various of the components of the lift structure of the instant invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates the support and guide structure of the instant invention. The structure 10 includes four upright corner members 12 interconnected at their lower and upper ends along the opposite sides of the structure 10 by means of lower and upper brace members 14 and 16 extending therebetween on opposite sides of the guide structure 10. In addition, corresponding opposite ends of the members 14 and 16 are interconnected by means of transverse members 20 and 22 extending therebetween.

The central portions of each pair of vertically spaced members 14 and 16 are rigidly interconnected by means of vertical guide angle members 24 and 26 slightly spaced apart along the members 14 and 16. An elevator bar 28 is embracingly engaged by each pair of vertical guide angle members 24 and 26 and each elevator bar 28 includes a lower end fastener 30 secured therethrough and slidably received in the slot 34 defined between the corresponding angle members 24 and 26. y

A pair of rearwardly and upwardly inclined tracks 36 are secured between the lower ends of the forward cor ner members 12 and the corresponding angle members 24 at points spaced slightly above the lower ends of the 94 supported therefrom.

latter. An L-shaped elevator member referred to in generalby the reference numeral 40 is provided and includes a pair of opposite side long vertical legs 44 terminating downwardly in horizontally inwardly directed short horizontal legs 46. The free ends of the horizontal legs 46 are pivotaly anchored to the correspondingfasteners and the fasteners 30 are also secured through slide plates 48 disposed in sliding contact with the .outer surfaces of the corresponding angle,mcmbers 24 and 26. Also, the ends .of the short horizontallegs 46 adjacent the lower ends of the long vertical legs 44. of the elevator members are provided with rollers 5 0rollr'nay be placed on the longitudinal members 54 through manner, the elevator member 40 maybe swung from the solid line inoperative position thereof illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 1 with the elevator bars 28 in elevated positions. I i y K a I The lower end portions of each pair of end corner members 12 have additional transverse brace members 52 secured therebetween spaced above the lower ends of the members 12 and the transverse members52 include parallel longitudinalsupport members 54 spaced transversely of the structure 10 secured .therebetween. The longitudinal members 54 are operative to..support a lower upwardly opening tray or rack 56 therefrom.

Each pair of vertically spaced members 14 and 16 have a pair of front to rear spaced upstanding support members 56 and 58 secured therebetween with each support member 56 and 58.spaced generally equally between a corner member 12 and the adjacent angle member 24 or 26. g

A pair of vertically spaced cam frames 60 and 62 are supported from each support member 56 and 5 8 and a pair of vertically spaced support brackets 64 and 66 are of spacer blocks 74 slidably received in the correspond-.- ing slot 34 and by means of fasteners 76 secured through the corresponding spacer blocks ,74 are, a pair of split support blocks 78 through which,..the fasteners 76 are secured. Each split support block 78 includes a pair of block sections 80 having opposing horizontal semi-cylindrical recesses 82. formed therein'and. each A pair ofopposing semicylindrical recesses defines acy- In addition, each split block 78 has a horizontally inwardly opening U-shaped frame 100 secured thereto by the fasteners 76 and including a pair of horizontally inwardly directed legs 102 including inner end inwardly directed abutment flanges 104 with which the legs 88 of the corresponding frames 86 are abutingly engagable to limit inwardly swinging movement of the free ends of the legs 88 of each frame 86 and the U-shaped feeler guides 92 supported.therefrom.

In operation, an upwardly opening basket or rack 56 the frontv of the structure 10 whenever the longitudinal members 54 do not have 'a rack supported therefrom. Then, if it isdesired to raise the rack 56, the elevator member 40 has the'upper ends of the long vertical'legs 44 thereof, which' upper ends may be rigidly interconnected' by mea ns of a horizontal connecting member (not shown), swung downwardly and outwardly to the phan tt'jm line position of the elevator member 40 illustrated in FIG. l"of the drawings. By thus angularly displacing the elevator member40, the elevator bars 28 are elevated between the vertical guide angle members 24 and 26 movingthe splitblocks 78 upwardly therewith. As the lower frame 86 is elevated the legs 88 thereof ride upwardly along the corresponding pins 98 and allow "the frame '86 and the feeler guides 92 supported therefrom to angle inwardly over the basket 56.

In'ward tiltin'g of' the lower frames 86 is continued until the feeler guides 92'thereof abut theupper rim of the basket or rack 56 and the pins 94'engage the under portion of the upper rirn of-the rack 56. Thereafter, further upward movement of the elevator bars 28 elevates the -'rack'56. Upward movement of the rack 56 through the structure 10 causes the upper portionof the rack 56 to engage the ratchet dogs 68 so as to swing the latter outwardly toward their" retracted positions until the lower end of the rack 56 passes the upper portions of the lower ratchet dogs'68 whereuponthe latter are free to fall. inwardly beneath the rack 56 for support of the latter therefrom as soon as the elevator member 40 is swung from the phantom line position thereof illustrated in. FlGul to the solid line'position in order to lower the elevator bars 28.

With the first inserted rack 56 thus supported in elevated position above the longitudinal members 54 by the lower set of ratchet dogs 68, a second rack 56 may beplaced on the: longitudinal members 54. Then, if thei elevator member 40 is again actuated to raise the elevalindrical bore in which the bight portion 84 of a U shaped frame 86 is .oscillatably supported. Each frame 86 includesa pair of generally parallel legs 88 which terminate at their free ends in outwardly directed arms 90 having U-shaped feeler guides 92 and abutment pins ii 'tor bars 28 the upper ends of the lower feeler guides slide along the upper rack 56 until the free ends of the arms90engagethe lower cam frames at which point "the lower feeler guides 92 are swung outward to inopera tive positions. However, upper displacement of the elupper rack 56 as thelegs88 of the upper frame 86 slide upwardly along andover the corresponding pins 98.

frames 86 are slightly shorter than the frameguides-92 :4

of the lower frames 86.

Each of the vertical guide angle members 24 and 26 includes a pair of vertically spaced horizontally outwardly directed abutment pins 98 with which the legs of the corresponding frames 86 are engagable. I.

Thus, the feeler guides 92 of the uppe r frame 86 incline inwardly over the upper basket 56 and thepins 94 of the upperframe 86 engage the upper rim of the, upper basket or rack 56 in orderto elevate the latter into position above the upper set of ratchet dogs 68. Of course,.after the rack 56 supported from the upper ratchet dogs6 8'is removedfrom the top of the struc- I ture l0 thelower rack 5.6 may be elevated tothe lower. set of ratchet dogs 68 and thereafter to the upper set,

of ratchet dogs 68 as hereinbefore's et forth.

Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many variations, modifications and changes in detail, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, an upright open top support structure defining an elevator passage extending upwardly therein, said support structure including support means in a lower portion of said passage for supporting a rack therefrom, said support structure further including ratchet structure spaced vertically therealong for supporting a plurality of racks in vertically spaced relation within said passage against downward displacement therein and for substantially free upward displacement relative to said ratchet structure, elevator means guidingly supported from said rack structure for elevational shifting therealong, said elevator means including rack engaging means shiftable between operative rack engaging position and inoperative rack by-passing position, said rack engaging means and support structure including means for sensing a lower rack in said support structure below an upper rack and shifting said rack engaging means to the inoperative position while moving upwardly past said lower rack and to the operative position thereof when moving upwardly past the upper rack for supportively engaging the latter and elevating the same to the next higher ratchet structure for support therefrom in response to further upward movement of said elevator means.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said elevator means includes vertically spaced sets of said rack engaging means.

3. The combination of claim 1 including manually operable actuator means for elevating said elevator means.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said manually operable actuator means includes an upright L-shaped lever structure including an upstanding long leg portion extending downwardly along one marginal side of said support structure and terminating in an inwardly directed short leg portion pivotally attached at its free end portion to said elevator means, said lever structure, adjacent the juncture of said short and long leg portions including follower means pivotally supported therefrom, and inwardly and upwardly inclined track means carried by said support structure and extending inwardly from a lower marginal portion of said one marginal side of said support structure with which said follower means is guidingly engaged for movement therealong.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said follower means comprises wheel means journalled from said lever structure and rollingly engaged with said track means.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said ratchet structure includes vertically spaced sets of horizontally spaced ratchet dogs pivotally supported from said sup port structure for inward and outward swinging relative to said passage between operative and inoperative limit positions, respectively, said ratchet dogs eccentrically weighted for automatic inward swinging, by gravity, to the operative positions thereof and including portions displaced inwardly of said passage when said dogs are in the operative positions and engageable by a rack being elevated therepast in said passage for caming said ratchet dogs outward toward their inoperative positions.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said rack engaging means include upstanding structures pivotally supported at their lower ends from said elevator means for inward swinging movement of the upper end portions of said upstanding structures into said passage toward operative positions thereof and outward swinging of said upper end portions from said operative positions toward inoperative positions thereof, the upper end portions of said upstanding structures including supportive portions thereof operative, when said upstanding structures are in said operative positions and said elevator means is being elevated, to supportively engage and elevate a rack disposed in said passage.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said support structure includes abutment portions thereof engageable by said upstanding structures to retain the latter in the inoperative positions thereof when said elevator means is disposed at a predetermined elevation and to allow gradual swinging of said upstanding structures toward the operative positionsthereof in response to elevation of said elevator means above said predetermined elevation and to swing said upstanding structures from said operative positions thereof to the inoperative positions in response to lowering said elevator means toward said predetermined elevation.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said support structure includes means operative to engage and shift said upstanding structures from positions with the upper portions thereof swung partially inwardly from said inoperative positions thereof toward said operative positions in response to movement of said elevator means, through predetermined zones, in either direction, of elevation including upper and lower limits.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein the upper end portions of said upstanding structures include portions thereof for engagement with an elevated rack supported in said support structure to limit inward swinging of said upper end portions of said upper portions to said partially inwardly swung positions. 

1. In combination, an upright open top support structure defining an elevator passage extending upwardly therein, said support structure Including support means in a lower portion of said passage for supporting a rack therefrom, said support structure further including ratchet structure spaced vertically therealong for supporting a plurality of racks in vertically spaced relation within said passage against downward displacement therein and for substantially free upward displacement relative to said ratchet structure, elevator means grindingly supported from said rack structure for elevational shifting therealong, said elevator means including rack engaging means shiftable between operative rack engaging position and inoperative rack bypassing position, said rack engaging means and support structure including means for sensing a lower rack in said support structure below an upper rack and shifting said rack engaging means to the inoperative position while moving upwardly past said lower rack and to the operative position thereof when moving upwardly past the upper rack for supportively engaging the latter and elevating the same to the next higher ratchet structure for support therefrom in response to further upward movement of said elevator means.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said elevator means includes vertically spaced sets of said rack engaging means.
 3. The combination of claim 1 including manually operable actuator means for elevating said elevator means.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said manually operable actuator means includes an upright L-shaped lever structure including an upstanding long leg portion extending downwardly along one marginal side of said support structure and terminating in an inwardly directed short leg portion pivotally attached at its free end portion to said elevator means, said lever structure, adjacent the juncture of said short and long leg portions including follower means pivotally supported therefrom, and inwardly and upwardly inclined track means carried by said support structure and extending inwardly from a lower marginal portion of said one marginal side of said support structure with which said follower means is guidingly engaged for movement therealong.
 5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said follower means comprises wheel means journalled from said lever structure and rollingly engaged with said track means.
 6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said ratchet structure includes vertically spaced sets of horizontally spaced ratchet dogs pivotally supported from said support structure for inward and outward swinging relative to said passage between operative and inoperative limit positions, respectively, said ratchet dogs eccentrically weighted for automatic inward swinging, by gravity, to the operative positions thereof and including portions displaced inwardly of said passage when said dogs are in the operative positions and engageable by a rack being elevated therepast in said passage for caming said ratchet dogs outward toward their inoperative positions.
 7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said rack engaging means include upstanding structures pivotally supported at their lower ends from said elevator means for inward swinging movement of the upper end portions of said upstanding structures into said passage toward operative positions thereof and outward swinging of said upper end portions from said operative positions toward inoperative positions thereof, the upper end portions of said upstanding structures including supportive portions thereof operative, when said upstanding structures are in said operative positions and said elevator means is being elevated, to supportively engage and elevate a rack disposed in said passage.
 8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said support structure includes abutment portions thereof engageable by said upstanding structures to retain the latter in the inoperative positions thereof when said elevator means is disposed at a predetermined elevation and to allow gradual swinging of said upstanding structures toward the operative positions thereof in response to elevation of said elevaTor means above said predetermined elevation and to swing said upstanding structures from said operative positions thereof to the inoperative positions in response to lowering said elevator means toward said predetermined elevation.
 9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said support structure includes means operative to engage and shift said upstanding structures from positions with the upper portions thereof swung partially inwardly from said inoperative positions thereof toward said operative positions in response to movement of said elevator means, through predetermined zones, in either direction, of elevation including upper and lower limits.
 10. The combination of claim 9 wherein the upper end portions of said upstanding structures include portions thereof for engagement with an elevated rack supported in said support structure to limit inward swinging of said upper end portions of said upper portions to said partially inwardly swung positions. 